Outside Looking In
by Adalanta
Summary: Cally gets an inside look into Lee and Kara's friendship when the two pilots unexpectedly show up at Life Station. Takes place a couple of days after "Bastille Day." One-shot, hc.


Outside Looking In

by Adalanta

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Not mine, just borrowing for a bit.

Author's Note: This story takes place between Season 1's "Bastille Day" and "Act of Contrition." It can also be seen as a sequel to my previous story "Martyr" but can stand on its own. I couldn't help but think there had to be some repercussions from the beating Apollo took at the prisoners' hands. Please, take a second to let me know what you think. I'm a little nervous about how this one turned out. Thanks!

Outside Looking In

"Kara, I'm telling you, I don't need to be here!"

"Lee, if you try to get off that bed one more time, I swear I'll give you a reason for being here – and it'll hurt a lot more!"

Cally lay on her bed in the middle of Life Station, silently watching the two Viper pilots bicker loudly four beds over. She'd been watching through the small gap in the curtain surrounding her bed ever since they'd come in. Or, to be more precise, when Lieutenant Kara "Starbuck" Thrace had walked in supporting a pale, bruised looking Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama with one arm. Once inside, the Lieutenant had forced him onto the nearest bed and had sharply ordered the attending nurse to go get the doctor on duty. The instant the nurse had left, the Captain had tried to leave, and the fight had begun. Now, after three attempts, Lt. Thrace had apparently reached her limit and had finally resorted to threats of bodily harm. And from what Cally'd seen and heard over the last year since she was assigned to _Galactica_, the Lieutenant wasn't afraid to make her point with her fists.

That's why she couldn't believe her eyes when Captain Adama made another attempt to slip off the mattress. Apparently the Captain didn't know the Lieutenant well enough to take her seriously. Wide-eyed, she saw Starbuck raise her right hand to his chest and push hard, earning a hiss of pain and a muffled curse from the bruised man.

"Frak, Kara! That hurt!" he yelped, wrapping both arms around his chest and glaring fiercely at the female pilot.

Starbuck just shook her blond head. "It's your own fault, Lee. I gave you plenty of warning. You should know by now to take me seriously."

Cally swore she heard a hint of laughter buried among the blunt words.

"I told you before," he argued back, "I'm fine. Or…at least I was," he winced, rubbing his chest. Grimacing in pain, he pushed himself farther back on the bed, apparently deciding to give up escaping.

The other pilot sat down next to him on the bed. "I don't care what you say, Lee Adama, I know what I saw. And don't even try to tell me that you were just 'inspecting' your landing gear or some other stupid excuse like that. I saw you – " Her angry rant cut off abruptly as the doctor approached.

"I'm Dr. Soyas. What seems to be the problem, Captain?" he asked mildly, holding a small clipboard that held the other man's medical file.

The Captain opened his mouth to reply but Starbuck beat him to it. "He collapsed on the Flight Deck a few minutes ago."

From her vantage point, Cally could just make out the doctor's frown. Trying to get into a better position to see, she shifted her body up farther on the mattress, so engrossed in the conversation that she momentarily forgot about the reason she was in Life Station. Fiery knives stabbed ruthlessly at her stomach, her gunshot wound flaring back to life, and she was forced to bite her lower lip to keep from crying out at the sharp pains. Breathing heavily, she forced her hands away from the bandage, grasping the white sheets in a white-knuckled grip instead. For a split second, she was back in the cell, clutching her stomach, warm wet blood flowing through her fingers, the thick, coppery smell filling the air along with that madman's raving. The next second, she was back in the middle of Life Station, sore but safe. Blinking rapidly, she chose to focus again on the discussion going on at the other end of the ward. To her surprise, she found that only a few seconds had passed, and she hadn't missed much at all.

"Is that true, Captain Adama? Did you collapse?"

It was obvious (at least to her) that he intended to deny it…until he looked over at Starbuck. Noting her raised eyebrows, he nodded wordlessly.

"Mmmm. Any loss of consciousness?"

"No."

"Did you feel dizzy or nauseous?" he asked, pulling a small flashlight out of his coat pocket and shining it into the Captain's eyes.

"A little dizzy," he reluctantly admitted, jerking his head back automatically from the bright light.

"I see." He shut off the light and returned it to his pocket. "Well, your pupils are reacting normally, so I don't believe this has anything to do with your previous skull fracture(a)."

_Skull fracture? _Cally gasped softly, shocked and concerned. _What? When did that happen?_ Although she forced her attention back to the doctor, a small part of her mind was still wondering about it.

"I see here in your chart that you suffered several bruised ribs a couple of days ago." He paused, looking at the Viper pilot with more interest than a few moments before. "You were aboard the prison ship, the Astral Queen, weren't you?" At the Captain's nod, he remarked, "It's a miracle no one was killed, especially with that maniac Zarek onboard." Clearing his throat, he got back to the matter at hand. "Those ribs are probably the problem. I'm going to go gather a few supplies. While I'm gone, I need for you to remove your flight suit and your undershirt, so I can get a good look at those ribs."

Once the doctor had left, Captain Adama immediately turned to Starbuck, who was still sitting next to him on the bed. "Kara, why don't you wait outside?" Although it was phrased as a suggestion, it was clearly a request.

Starbuck was shaking her head before he could even finish speaking. "Oh, no, you don't. You've managed to keep this hidden from me long enough. This time I'm going to stay right here and see for myself." She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe you made me leave last time. I've known you for years, Lee – we're like family. Hell, we almost were family."

The sad smile was visible to Cally even so many feet away, but she had to strain to hear his soft reply. "You are family, Kara. You always have been. Don't ever think different." Cally was stunned to see him reach over and take her hand. From what she'd seen of Captain Adama, he didn't seem to be the demonstrative type.

The silence that followed gave her ample time to think about everything she'd seen and heard. Only half watching as Starbuck aided the CAG in removing his flight suit, she mulled over what she knew about Lieutenant Thrace and Captain Adama. She knew that Commander Adama was fond of the Lieutenant. After all, how else could she get out of all the fights she'd been in? Lords, scuttlebutt said that she'd even punched Colonel Tigh! Now that she believed, having seen the reddish-purple bruise on the XO's cheek. Plus, she'd overheard Boomer telling the Chief all about the fight when they'd thought no one was listening.

Now, Captain Adama…he was a mystery. From what she'd heard the Chief say, the Captain was a cold, unfeeling man with a reputation for being a stickler to the rules. Chief Tyrol had kept muttering angrily to himself after the Captain had first come aboard. She hadn't understood exactly what he'd been saying, but she'd gotten the gist of it and it wasn't good. And yet…from what she'd seen on both _Galactica _and the _Astral Queen_, that didn't sound like the Captain Adama she knew.

Cally would never forget the devastated look on Starbuck's face as she'd walked away from the Chief after he'd informed of the Captain's supposed 'death.' But the most telling incident of all had been near the end of the Cylons relentless attacks right after the war started. The two pilots had argued heated – and loudly – just ten feet from her while she'd been looking over Starbuck's Viper. She'd been shocked when the new CAG had stood for Starbuck's angry blast. _Ripper would have had her up on insubordination charges in a flash,_ she thought, remembering the previous CAG, a tough but fair man who was used to having complete control. But instead of getting upset or angry at Starbuck, he'd calmly stood there until she'd finished and then threw her words right back in her face without batting an eye. She'd been too exhausted to say anything about it – as had the Chief, although he had given Starbuck a strange look afterward, one she hadn't understood then and still didn't.

_And what did the Captain mean by telling Starbuck that she was family? How long has he known her? How did -?_ The cascading questions froze as the Captain finished easing off his undershirt.

Dark black and blue bruises mottled his entire torso from waist to collarbone, spaced so closely together that it almost looked like he was wearing another shirt underneath. From where she lay, she couldn't see his back but she'd bet a month's pay that it looked just as bad as the front. A horrified look stole over her face as she stared at the damage that had been done to the senior pilot. _Oh Lords, _she gulped, blinking in the hope that what she saw was just a trick of light.

It wasn't.

Through her shock, she heard Starbuck say angrily, "A 'bit bruised,' Lee? Those were your exact words when I asked about it aboard that frakking ship (b)! How could you lie to me?" She hopped off the bed, her arms held rigidly at her sides. For a moment, Cally thought she was going to punch him right there in the middle of the ward. In the end, she managed to hold back – though it appeared to be a struggle.

The Captain's jaw clenched. "It's not as bad as it looks, Kara."

"Oh, really?" she snapped, getting right up in his face. "And I suppose that's why you dropped like a rock on the Flight Deck, right?"

"I just had a hard time catching my breath! You had no right to drag me down here like some stupid rook!" He stopped shouting and clutched his ribs, suddenly gasping for air like a fish out of water.

Starbuck's startled shout for help brought the doctor and nurses at a run. Cally stared, completely stunned, as they surrounded his bed, trying to help the gasping man. For several minutes Cally could do nothing but wait anxiously, barely breathing, unable to see what was happening to Captain Adama. _Lords, please help him,_ she prayed silently, remembering another time two days ago when the Captain had been the answer to her own prayer. He'd saved her life and kept her calm, even when she'd been close to panicking. She could still hear his calm voice talking to her, telling her that everything would be okay, that she'd be fine. Scared as she'd been, his voice had been a godsend. And now, here she was, unable to do anything to help him in return when he needed it.

Finally, the medical staff backed off far enough for her to see through the small gap. Captain Adama was sitting up again, his ribs securely wrapped in several thick bandages, the bruises and scrapes on his face standing out boldly on the white skin. Other than that, he seemed to be okay. She sent a quick 'thank you' to the Lords and took a deep breath, barely feeling the warning twinge in her stomach this time from the adrenaline pumping through her.

"What's wrong with him? What just happened?" Starbuck's voice shook slightly as she moved to sit at the end of the bed.

Dr. Soyas took a deep breath. "It's what I suspected. His ribs are extremely bruised, so much so that without any additional support, he wasn't breathing properly. His body wasn't receiving the necessary oxygen, which is what caused him to collapse earlier and made it nearly impossible for him to breathe just a few minutes ago. It's not a life-or-death situation – yet," he added, turning to the Captain with a serious expression on his face. "However, if you'd tried to launch with those damaged ribs, they would've easily broken and punctured a lung. I'm sorry, Captain, but I'm afraid you're grounded for the next week."

"What!" Lee gasped breathlessly. "A week! You can't be serious!"

The doctor continued on, barely blinking at the CAG's outburst. "That's an order, Captain Adama, not a request. Your ribs need time to heal before they're subjected to that kind of stress." He held up his hand to stop the next protest. "Don't press your luck, Captain. Normally in a case like this, I'd hold you here overnight for observation, but seeing as you're in good hands," here he shot a warning look at Starbuck, "I think it'll be safe to release you back to quarters."

The Captain glared, his eyes cold as ice. "I'm the CAG, Dr. Soyas. I can't afford not to be with my pilots. You can't lead from behind!"

Cally could tell the doctor was rapidly losing patience with the stubborn pilot. "You will be with your pilots – on this ship. Right now, I've only grounded you. If you keep going the way you are, I'll restrict you from duty all together. Look," he sighed, shaking his head. The anger disappeared from his voice as he tried another approach. "I don't think you understand the seriousness of your situation. If you launch right now, you will die. Don't you think we're lost enough pilots in the last two weeks? Plus, as you are so quick to point out, you are the CAG. What do you think it would do to this ship – to the Fleet – if you died?"

Silence.

The Captain dropped his eyes and, after a moment's hesitation, finally nodded in acceptance.

Clearing his throat, Dr. Soyas finished up in a crisp, businesslike tone. "I'll send the report to CIC so they'll know about your change in flight status. In the meantime, try not to do any unnecessary bending or lifting. That'll only put more pressure on your ribs. Is that clear?" As the pilot nodded again, he added, "I'll need to see you again in a week before I can officially clear you for duty. That's it for now. Lieutenant Thrace, he's all yours," Smiling, he moved off.

"Don't even say it, Kara," the Captain warned a few seconds later, his gaze narrowing as he glanced over at her. "I know exactly what you're thinking."

"Don't say what?" Starbuck asked innocently. "That I was right? That you needed to come here? That you were being a stubborn idiot and nearly got yourself killed?"

"Yeah, that," he replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes and then mumbled, "Why do I even bother?" Moving stiffly, he pushed himself to the edge of the bed and slid off, the jolt forcing a low moan through his tightly pressed lips and leaving him wavering on his feet.

Starbuck's hand shot out and latched onto his arm to steady him. "Lee?" She sounded worried. "I don't know if this is such a good idea. Maybe you should stay here tonight – just to be sure."

"No," he replied sharply, leaning against the bed for support. He took a few experimental breaths before continuing. "I'm okay. I just moved too fast, that's all."

"You don't have to hurry, Lee," the Lieutenant frowned. "It's not like we have anything pressing to do right now – especially you. Why don't you stay here for a few more minutes?" She raised her voice to drown out his protest. "Just until you get used to breathing with that wrap on." A mischievous grin stole across her face as she added wryly, "Besides, when the Commander finds out about this…" Her eyebrows raised suggestively as her words trailed off.

"Oh, frak." The curse tumbled out automatically as a look of fear flashed across his pale features.

"You can say that again," Starbuck agreed, nodding solemnly. Cally watched, her small body nearly bursting with curiosity, as the Captain turned his wide, blue-eyed gaze towards his fellow pilot. "Don't look so upset. After all, you're going to be getting a break. I'm the one who should be worried, not you."

"Frak!" he repeated, louder this time, tearing his gaze away from hers and staring hard at the door through which Dr. Soyas had disappeared. "Do you think I could convince the doctor not to send that report?"

She shook her head with a slight laugh. "Sorry, Lee, the doctor has to send that report – there's no getting around it."

"Lords," he moaned, hanging his head and covering his face with both hands. "When the Commander sees that, he's going to think I hid this from him," he continued, his voice muffled. "Being grounded is going to be the least of my problems."

Cally heard Starbuck sigh loudly and saw her place her hand on the Captain's shoulder. "Well, we'd better get going, then."

Captain Adama raised his head. "What?"

"If we're lucky, we might have a couple of hours or so before the Commander gets that report – just enough time to come up with some plausible, water-tight reasons for what happened, and more importantly, how you got out of being grounded the first time."

The young CAG stared at her for a moment and then the corners of his mouth curled up into a small smile. "Two hours, huh?" he said, pulling away from the bed and slowly straightening up with a wince. "Do you think that's going to be enough time?"

"It better be," she replied, as they began to slowly make their way out of Life Station. "There's no way I'm taking over for you permanently. That'd mean I'd have to start acting responsibly, stop fighting, and, _Lords_, be nice to Tigh." She scowled and gave a mock shiver. "It'd ruin my image." With that, the two pilots walked through the far doors and out of sight, Starbuck's infectious laughter echoing back through the closing door.

Smiling herself from the laughter, the young deckhand turned her head until she was once again flat on her back, staring up at the dull, white ceiling just like she'd been doing for the last two days. But this time, she wasn't really looking at the ceiling. Thanks to Starbuck and Captain Adama's unexpected visit to Life Station, she had plenty to think about for the next few days until she was released…and probably even longer than that. She couldn't help but wonder exactly what was going on between the two pilots…what kind of relationship they had. They seemed…connected, somehow. _What had Captain Adama said? "You are family, Kara…Don't ever forget that."_ The words swept through her mind, leaving in its wake a dozen more questions that crowded inside, jostling for position, but she firmly held them at bay. She was so tired – too tired to think about everything she'd seen and heard in the last hour. As her eyelids fluttered closed and her wounded body began to relax, she drifted off to sleep with a tiny smile upon her lips, remembering two radically different Viper pilots and how friendship could be formed between the most unlikely people.

THE END

(a) See my previous story "Any Crash You Can Walk Away From."

(b) See my other story "Martyr."


End file.
